PRACTICE AS PEDAGOGY: TRAINING AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS BY THE LABORATORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE

The Laboratory of Environmental Archaeology (LEA) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is a multidisciplinary lab space dedicated to high-quality analytical services, equipment access, training, and laboratory support for academic, governmental, and industry users. Specialty services include physical, geochemical, and microbotanical characterization of archaeological and environmental materials and near-surface geophysical data collection. Specialized equipment includes our laser diffraction particle size analyzer, portable X-ray florescence spectrometer, and ground penetrating radar system. We also offer phytolith extraction and analysis from sediments or artifacts.

Housed within the university’s McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, LEA is a university Core Facility and provides a practical institutional mechanism for faculty collaboration, student experiential learning, and continuing education. LEA fulfills a unique role for researchers, students, and private companies by providing guidance and support to a variety of disciplines including archaeology, geoarchaeology, historical ecology, engineering, soil and agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, geology, geomorphology, and botany. This paper discusses the unique role of LEA, which crosses the boundaries of traditional university training and contract (often CRM) work. As part of this unique positioning, LEA staff and students engage in a number of community outreach and education programming as well as lab and field-based geoscience projects, which will also be addressed as part of the pedagogical mandate of the facility.